


Save You a Dance

by Patcho418



Series: Snow Days! (RWBY in Atlas!) [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Atlas - Freeform, Atlas dance, Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff, In which Blake wears a suit, In which I just want these kids to be happy, In which Oscar and Nora share a dance, In which Qrow doesn't drink, In which Ruby unironically says 'fam', In which the group gets a chance to actually have fun, Party, in which Weiss finally thanks Jaune for saving her life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2019-10-21 11:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17641622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patcho418/pseuds/Patcho418
Summary: A work for @GoatmanAdam on Twitter using their ideas; I just put more words in!After preparing for the Atlas dance they were invited to by Jacques Schnee, the group deal with some less-than-desirable treatment, as well as figure out what to do about the outcome.





	1. Blake

Blake’s ears twitched anxiously as the group made their way to the Atlas ball. Blank snow crunched under her nervous footsteps, a sound that filled the air with a tangible tension. The wind bit at her soft skin, reddening it with its frosty howl. 

Undoubtedly nervous, attending this ball had all but reinforced how vulnerable she felt here in Atlas. Ever since they’d arrived, Blake had been getting glares and glowers from strangers in the streets, gawking at her ears and clearly wondering why she wasn’t in the dust mines or serving any masters. Several times she had been mistaken as an assistant of sorts to any of the gang (mostly Qrow, who seemed just as uncomfortable with the insinuations), and more than once had she been confronted by those who were troubled—offended—by not seeing her in chains.

Blake sensed cold around her arm; not the biting winter in the air, but a surprisingly welcome texture of metal. She looked to her left, taking in the sight of Yang as the blonde held her close. Even in this dismal atmosphere, Yang stood out with such intensity, such warmth, that Blake just couldn’t feel cold next to her. 

But she wore a concerned look, her lips curled into a frown and her brow slightly raised as if deep in thought. Yang normally wore her heart on her sleeve, unafraid to show her true feelings, but rarely did Blake see this expression from her.

The dark-haired woman nuzzled close to her partner, cozying herself for warmth. “What’s wrong?” Then, looking down at the metal appendage curled around her own arm: “I told you, you don’t need to worry about this. You look beautiful.”

Almost immediately, Yang’s face brightened, her usually air of content washing away her worry. “Don’t worry, I’m fine!” she stated. Blake wasn’t ready to argue the point, not with their friends around, and so she simply brought herself closer to Yang’s strong frame, her head resting on her shoulder.


	2. Weiss

It didn’t take long for them to reach the manor from the lodge they were staying in, and by this point the howling winds had greatly diminished, making way for a gentle snowfall around them. In the time that Weiss had been in Atlas, snowstorms and blizzards had made themselves quite well-known, and rarely had she gotten to see the gentler side of the kingdom’s endless winter. 

Snowflakes danced lightly around her and her friends, several landing on her eyelashes before melting away. The white-haired woman could hardly stifle an awed giggle; Atlas could be horrible, but it could also be beautiful.

Ruby giggled as they made their way to the front door; clearly winters in Patch weren’t so wondrous, as Yang seemed to wear an equally awed expression as she nuzzled closer to Blake, the two arm-in-arm. What worry either of them had displayed earlier, what doubts they’d had about being welcomed at this admittedly unwelcoming place seemed whisked away with the wind.

This peaceful air was blown away almost instantly.

They all stood as a group at the large, white doors of the colossal manor, and while the rest of them seemingly froze in surprise at the immensity of what was essentially a palace, Weiss held herself apprehensive beside her friends. It had been almost a year since she ran away from home, almost a year since she went missing. Her father had welcomed her back, of course, but not with any open arms. She had seen the abhorrence in his expression, the discontent in his voice as he extended a rather formal invitation to the annual ball.

Now here she stood again, her chest pounding against the fabric of the dress she knew everyone would recognize. A dress linked with the shamed heiress of the Schnee Dust Company.

It wasn’t just her who was obviously uncomfortable; even Qrow seemed on-edge as he approached the greeter standing at the tall doors, a plastic smile upon his porcelain face.  
“Welcome to the Annual Schnee Dust Company Gala,” he welcomed forcedly. “Your names, please?”

Qrow grumbled as he listed off the members of their group, the man ticking off names on his scroll until pausing, nodding, and stepping aside in a welcoming gesture. Weiss inhaled a tense breath, preparing herself for what would undoubtedly be an unpleasant evening, to put it kindly. 

A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned to see the face of her leader, a wide but kind smile breaking her fair complexion. “Just stick with us tonight, Weiss,” she assured. “I’m the queen of avoiding awkward small-talk!” 

This invited a knowing snicker from Jaune further ahead of them, but nonetheless Weiss smiled thankfully at the gesture. “I’m fine with small-talk, Ruby, but thank you. I’m sure we can mana—”

She was cut off by the sudden feeling of Yang’s hair against her face, and she pulled away quickly knowing how she often reacted to most people so much as touching her hair. Weiss had almost snapped instinctively to Yang not moving, but her voice caught in her breath when she saw the woman tensely holding Blake closer.

“What do you mean ‘she’s not allowed in’?” she growled, anger simmering in her voice.

“I hadn’t been informed that one of your party was a Faunus. I cannot allow her to enter a place of such prestige, surely you understand!”

Yang stepped closer. “I absolutely don’t understand! Blake was invited, just like the rest of us! You don’t get to just take that away just because!”

“I assure you it’s not ‘just because’, Miss Xiao Long—”

“No, you're right. It’s because you’re discriminatory! Every one of you here!”

Weiss stepped forward, ready to intervene, when she noticed Blake step back slightly. Frowning, Weiss moved towards her dark-haired friend and placed a hand on her shoulder; Blake seemed not to notice, and if she had she kept her sights on Yang.

“Look, bud, we’re not here to wreck your party or anything, so just let her in,” Qrow grumbled, clearly attempting to bring calm to a tense situation.

The man cleared his throat. “I’ll allow the human members of this group to enter, but not… _her_.” He stated this with a sting to his voice, though his eyes refused to even trail near Blake as she seemed to curl into herself.

Weiss snarled. “How _dare_ you!”

“This is Atlesian law, and clear Schnee Dust Company policy, that only Faunus in positions of servitude be allowed on such premises. I believe I’m being entirely fair.”

“Far from it!” Weiss shot back, though her bite was lessened by the sudden action of Yang, who took the man by the collar of his crisp shirt and lifted him off of his feet.

“That does it!” she cried out, readying herself to pummel him. She was interrupted by a small tug on her free arm by Blake, her expression discerning shame, fear, and defeat.

“You guys go in, I’ll head back to the lodge,” she admitted, her head low.

The winter sky filled with silence, save for the soft wind carrying flakes of snow around them. Everyone stood still, all eyes on the dark-haired woman who now seemed smaller than ever, especially against the growing anger that was Yang. A palpable tension settled among them as the man struggled against the blonde’s grip.

Yang let go of his shirt idly, barely a second thought when her own partner seemed so defeated in the moment. “I’m not going anywhere without you, Blake. I would never.”

Weiss sighed; she knew Atlesian prejudices, how stubborn they were to change their views, and how quickly trying to persuade this bully would get them nowhere. Around her, discomfort was apparent on her friends’ faces, some of them already in the doorway waiting for an indication of whether to continue inside or not.

Blake barely looked up and allowed Yang to press her forehead to hers, seemingly calming herself from the admittedly frightening outburst. Weiss felt her stomach churn; there really was nothing they could do. She hated it. She hated not being able to help her friends, especially in her own kingdom. She hated how despite everything, how far they’d come, how much Blake had accomplished, such a loathsome concept was still proving to be such trouble. And she hated that she didn’t know what to do to help any further.

“Well then,” began Jaune as he stepped out of the doorway and down the stairs Nora and Ren following suit, “we’re not going either.”

The man gave a curt grunt. “Suit yourselves, I suppose. I doubt Mr. Schnee would be too disappointed by some rapscallions refusing their invitations.” 

Nora growled. “Well we didn’t even wanna go to this lame party with ‘Mr. Has a Dumb Moustache’!” At this, Weiss snickered.

As the final members of their party exited the doorway, they watched as the man straightened his shirt and watched them with contempt in his eyes. Weiss rolled her eyes; if she could whip Myrtenaster out not and freeze that look off of his ridiculous face, she absolutely would. Still, she knew that it wouldn’t resort to much except for probably putting their group under more scrutiny than they already were.

She looked to Blake and Yang, and though they still held hands, they were notably silent as the group walked away from the manor. She muted the urge to comfort them, to tell Yang that though the violence was unnecessary they all felt the same anger, to embrace Blake and ensure she knew she was far better than any of those despots at that ridiculous party. She knew they needed this for themselves, to comfort each other. That was all they ever needed.

A light voice cut through the stillness. “So, what do we do now?” 

Weiss turned to Oscar, who had already begun tugging at his tie; though he didn’t seem dismayed by the turn of events, he did regard them with an air of concern and confusion. The group stopped, unsure of what to do. Each member took turns looking towards one-another, making faces as if suggesting unspoken ideas. 

Once more, Weiss felt a hand on her shoulder, and once more she turned to see Ruby smiling at her, though this time with an excited grin.

“What?” she asked her leader, who seemed barely able to contain her own excitement.

“Weiss, can you take us to that park you showed me earlier?” she asked with wide eyes and a giggle in her voice.

Weiss paused; in their free time after purchasing outfits for the evening, Weiss had gone to visit a park she frequented in her childhood, with Ruby tagging along and Weiss absolutely unable to shake her off. It was truly a special place, and for more reasons than just her memory of it. In that moment, she knew what her leader was suggesting.

With an eloquent smile she replied: “I don’t think that should be a problem!”


	3. Ren

Ren certainly didn’t doubt that the park they’d been led to was beautiful. After all, he found anything and everything about nature itself to be one of the most beautiful things in the world. However, Atlas had proven itself to be one of the least beautiful places he’d ever had to be.

Just below the thin layer of white snow that permeated almost every surface was grime and muck. In some places, the blank sheet of white efficiently masked what lay just below, while in others the snow was not nearly thick enough to cover anything disgusting and unsightly. Yet Atlas didn’t seem to mind bearing this uglier side, and in many cases even openly displayed it. He’d seen far too much to think that there could be much beauty left here.

Beside him, Nora shuffled uncomfortably, the ruffling of her elegant yet exaggerated pink gown not allowing any silence between them. Ren knowingly looked towards her, catching a glimpse of a pout on her face.

“Ren,” she stated—almost like an admission, “I don’t think I wanna go anywhere. Not after...not after that.”

Ren nodded; another part of Atlas openly displaying its disgusting tendencies, further pushing beauty away. Sometimes he really did wonder how these people benefitted from their behaviours and prejudices.

“I know, Nora,” he offered factually. “It truly was disheartening to have to witness that, but I believe Ruby knows what she’s doing.”

“You do?”

“I do,” he replied wisely. “And if this park is as beautiful as she’s making it out to be, I believe this will at least alleviate some of the tension from earlier.”

Nora rolled her eyes, a tendency of hers he’d grown somewhat fond of. “Fat chance. There’s nothing beautiful here!”

A playful thought crossed Ren’s mind, and for a splinter of a second he considered voicing it. He looked over at Nora, her face still stretched into an exaggerated scowl—no, that wouldn’t do.

Closing the distance between them, Ren reached for her hand, lightly brushing the small assortment of flowers wrapped around her wrist. He took her hand in his, eliciting from her an adorable squeak that caused a smile to spread on his lips. Nora quickly glanced down at her hand intertwined with Ren’s fingers, then up at the young man, her features softening.

Ren smiled down at her, his eyes lidded and affection playing on his brow. “I’m sure it’ll be worth it.”


	4. Yang

The snow sat on the grass, dusting the tips of the blades like soft flour. The light wind rustled the bushes and the sparse trees, their leaves filling the air with their rustling music. All around, silver moonlight danced across green and white and blue, shimmering argent against a garden of frost. The land, wide and open, was lined with cobblestone paths winding between benches and foliage, leading seemingly everywhere, waiting to be walked and explored.

The park was everything Yang had expected. It was more than anything she’d expected. 

And yet being here only made her feel more ashamed.

The rest of the group had already begun streaming into the wide area, splendor and awe on each of their faces as they took in the sights, the colours, the sounds, everything this gorgeous scene had to offer them. 

Nora and Ren immediately made their way towards a large collection of flowering shrubs, the latter taking an interest in the sprouting buds that brought a new colour to the emerald leaves. Ruby had already found herself wrapped around a lamp, giggling playfully as she spun, danced around the pole, the dim but welcoming light washing over her fair skin.

Yang tried to display the smile she desperately wanted to put forth, but she just couldn’t bring herself to smile. She couldn’t bring herself to laugh or to cheer or even to let her breath be taken by the sight before her. Her hand hadn’t stopped shaking since the incident at the manor, her muscles tense as she curled and uncurled her fist. 

Atlas had been hard on them. On all of them, no doubt, but being here was like a continuous torment for her partner. Since they’d arrived, she’d kept vigilant, her eyes constantly darting from person to person, her body tense, ready to jump at a moment’s notice. It was no surprise to anyone that she would feel so unsafe in a kingdom renowned for its oppressive treatment of Faunus, but Yang had never felt Blake’s pain—Blake’s anxiety—as she did here. 

Before, when they were just partners, when things in the dark stalked and chased them, she knew Blake’s fear. She knew her pain. But now, closer than ever, not a day went by where she didn’t feel her delicate fingers pressing into her skin, clawing for some semblance of safety. Of course, Yang wouldn’t let anything happen to Blake. Several times she’d stared down would-be aggressors, and perhaps a few times she’d lost her cool around the more vocal of those cruel people. At first, she felt strong. She felt brave; how dare anyone harm Blake? How dare they belittle her, hurl insults and slurs at her, threaten to have her sent to the mines? Yang had absolutely had enough of it.

Clearly, she’d had too much of it.

A soft melody settled into the night sky, and Yang slowly shifted her attention to Jaune, who had placed his scroll on a litter bin at full volume. With a friendly grin, he motioned to his friends: “Alright, dance mix is on! Who needs a stupid ball anyways when we’ve got our own dance party!”

Weiss rolled her eyes. “At least play something we can actually dance to!” she teased.

“Oh, like you can’t dance to this?” Nora shot back, spreading her body wide into some sort of strange position, swinging her arms left and right; Ren looked on, his expression either embarassed or endeared, though Yang could hardly ever tell with him.

“Precisely what I mean,” Weiss remarked. 

“Well that’s because you haven’t tried!” Ruby called out, leaping from the lamp and taking Weiss by the wrists before swinging her around excitedly.

Again, there was no smile.

The night sky filled with laughter and joy, her friends dancing the grief and tension away as they joined hands, swung about, sang off-key to one-another with the music playing faintly over their pleasure. 

Delicate fingers laced their way between her own, and she looked down to them, seeing a familiar indigo suit jacket, its sleeves now rolled down against the cold. Trailing her eyes up the sleeve, she found Blake, her kind smile barely concealing obvious concern.

“Are you okay?” Blake asked, accompanied by a light squeeze of her hand.

Yang scoffed teasingly, though discomfort laced her voice. “I feel I should be asking you that.”

Her partner’s fingers curled around her knuckles more firmly, her fingertips gently stroking her cold skin. Yang kept her gaze on Blake’s imploring golden eyes, reflecting her own aura as if everything Blake needed to know that was on her mind was already there.

“You don’t have to do this, Yang,” Blake consoled; in the cool winter air, a new melody played, this one soft and sweet. She turned towards Yang, their bodies barely inches apart. One hand held securely to the blonde’s, the other rested on the blonde’s shoulder, her thumb idly stroking her fair skin. Almost on instinct, Yang felt her body lean into Blake’s touch, swaying to the lulling music. Lilac reflected in amber, and she saw all that she needed to, knew all that needed to be said, and yet so much more would go unsaid. So much that didn’t need to be spoken.

Keeping warm tears from escaping her eyes, Yang ceded, tilting her head closer to Blake’s. “I’m sorry about what happened back there,” she offered solemnly.

“I know, but you don’t need to apologise,” Blake replied, subtly closing the distance even more between them. “Please don’t apologise.”

The blonde shook her head against her midnight bangs. “No, I’m sorry for how I reacted. I’m sorry I’ve been so…” Her lips pursed, angry tears begging for escape against her clenched eyelids. She’d been so aggressive, she’d been so aloof, she’d been strained and stressed and this place was absolutely getting to her. She wanted to let it all out to Blake, pour her feelings into her and let her know just how livid she felt, especially at herself.

No matter how bad it was for Yang here, it was infinitely worse for her partner. She wasn’t going to add to her problems, make her feel responsible for Yang’s own feelings. After everything Blake had been through, after seeing anger and violence firsthand, she could hardly bring herself to forgiveness for her own actions.

Argent moonlight shone onto midnight locks, dancing across each delicate strand and playing upon Blake’s flushed cheeks. The soft music continued, gentle harmonies carefully filling what little space was left between them. Holding onto Blake, being held by this beautiful, incredible, perfect woman, Yang wanted so desperately not to shatter what peace there finally was. Her partner’s heart beat softly against her own chest, her breath soft against the cold skin of her neck. It would be shameful—abhorrent, even—to disrupt such serenity.

Blake’s head found its place against Yang’s bare shoulder, her nose nuzzled safely under her chin as the two continued their soft but eloquent dance. “Thank you, Yang. I know it’s not easy.”

“It’s not, especially not for you,” she reiterated, her voice laced with guilt.

Her partner lifted her head for a moment, their cheeks brushing; Yang felt a shiver travel down her spine at her chilly touch, but the heat building in her skin chased away the cold sensation. Her lips placed a delicate kiss to Yang’s jaw, though the blonde could sense her trembling as she pulled away. Searching for golden eyes to lock onto, to find what she needed to know, Yang saw only black bangs hanging low.

“No, it’s not,” Blake purred; when she looked back up, she wore a gentle but concerned smile upon her lips, her eyes wet but focused on Yang. “But I still feel safe with you.”

Yang furrowed her brow anxiously, her lips pursed and her hand shaking against Blake’s shuddering figure. The air was silent around them; the music of the night persisted, but now there was only the sound of each other. Soft breaths, the rhythmic thumping of her own heart against her chest, her thoughts drifting through her mind like snowfall.

_Safe._

She was safe.

She had been nothing but aggressive and hostile in this unforgiving kingdom. She had stood off against anyone— _everyone_ —who dared approach Blake with vile eyes and sinister expressions. She’d placed herself at the forefront to prevent further pain to her already aching partner. She had been devastating, defensive, violent.

Yet despite this, she was safe.

Her body gave in to another tremor, this one subtle even in Blake’s touch. She gripped the loose fabric of Blake’s suit jacket and nudged her close, the space between them no longer existent. Her partner gave no resistance, allowing herself to be completely in Yang’s control. She was careful, of course, allowing Blake’s feet to keep their balance, and when she dipped towards her face, she allowed herself to pause inches away from her lips. 

No time was wasted as Blake fervently placed her lips against Yang’s, a faint warmth rushing to the kiss, clearing the air of its wintery bite. Her heart raced, thumping faster and harder against her heated chest until Yang was sure it would burst with affection. Her mouth buzzed with the sweetness of Blake’s kiss, filled with an intense desire they’d displayed so openly to each other many times before but now?

Now it was there, in the open, unladen by apprehension and guilt. 

Now Yang felt safe, too.

Just as she had initiated, Blake pulled away from her mouth, and the cold air was no more. Her face hovered beside Yang’s, her hot lips brushing lightly against her jaw in tender, heartfelt kisses that had Yang melt into her hold. They swayed like a soft wind, in each others’ hold and almost unable—unwilling—to part. The music had changed, a more upbeat melody that barely breached their embrace.

Yang felt Blake smile against her ear. “You’re so beautiful, Yang.”

She returned the smile, and though Blake would never see it, her voice didn’t hide it. “Me? You’re the beautiful one. I kinda feel sorry for all those stuffy losers at the ball.” Then, with a soft chuckle to herself and a tender caress of her waist: “You’d be turning heads.”

Blake laughed softly. “You sure? Remember the Beacon dance, when _you_ were the one everyone couldn’t keep their eyes off of?”

“Well,” Yang began, her voice taking on a mockingly serious tone, “I’m pretty sure half the people at that stupid gala have either been glared at or pummeled by me. They’d probably avoid me all night if they could.”

Blake pulled away, and once more the reflection of gold in gold shone. “I know for sure I wouldn’t be able to keep my eyes off of you.”

Yang’s smile widened, her cheeks glowing silver and pink and gold as Blake pulled herself into her embrace once more, the two girls continuing their quiet dance on the cobblestone path. No wind, no snow, no scathing eyes or disruptive sounds. Nothing disturbed them as they held each other safely.


	5. Qrow

“And if that weren’t enough, they then tried to throw me overboard!” Maria recounted with a grin. 

Qrow smirked, sitting forward in his chair attentively. It wasn’t every night he got to hear the Grimm Reaper herself regaling him with tales of her glory days, filling his chest with pure glee. He wasn’t going to miss a single detail of this.

Maria adjusted herself on the bench, her feet dangling freely. “So of course, I did what any sensible person would do and turned the ship over. And let me tell you, you have never seen a more frightened group of Huntsmen than those in Bulette-infested waters!”

The elderly Huntress whooped at her own story, clutching her cane and shaking it back and forth. Qrow couldn’t help but break out into laughter despite the horrific insinuations in her story. He was no stranger to vehemence and horror, having been well-acquainted with both in his time as a Huntsman. Violence was pervasive, and it was persistent. Where he went, it soon caught up, and if it weren’t tailing him it was awaiting him at the next turn.

Such was the life he had signed up for, and he hadn’t regretted that decision since.

A lump formed in his throat; of course, he had regretted it. He’d regretted it countless times when he saw innocents ferociously slain before his eyes, too slow or too weak to intervene. He’d regretted it when he saw friends, colleagues, loved ones torn apart and slaughtered, and in moments even where he hadn’t seen it. Where he would return from his own mission only to hear the news—those _words_ he always dreaded—and he would spiral again into drunken anger and misery.

And of course he’d regretted it the moment his world was shattered, and Ozpin, the man he idolized, turned out to be no more than a failure and a liar.

Qrow sighed, slouching over with his elbows resting on his knees as he looked downwards at the snow-dusted cobblestone. “How’d you get out of that one?” He had hoped that, despite the tone of his voice, Maria wouldn’t be able to read his emotions.

“How do you think?” she replied lowly, tapping her cybernetic eyes with the handle of her cane. Then, with a sigh: “The others weren’t so lucky.”

He paused to look up at her, and their eyes met in that moment. Had she not been maimed all those years ago—had her silver eyes still been there—he’d have seen his own expression mirrored in her eyes.

Of course, he didn’t need to see any look in her eyes to know what she felt.

“They were, well, close to me, for sure. And despite everything, I never would have wished upon them what happened.” She slowly drew her cane closer inwards, gripping it tightly. “But it’s a harsh world, and all we’re left with is what happened and what is yet to happen.”

Qrow hummed in agreement, turning his head downwards again. “What happened and what is yet to happen.”

Maria cleared her throat. “So, Qrow Branwen, we can’t let ourselves continue to sulk. What is yet to happen can be good, and we can make it good.” She turned her gaze towards the young Huntsmen and Huntresses gathered in the park. “And if not us, then at least them.”

His eyes turned upward to Ruby, seeing her just barely catch herself from tripping over Ren’s leg as her and her partner spun out of a dance. She shot the boy a nervous glance before heading back over to the heiress, who simply rolled her eyes at his niece’s fumble. Further from the more excitable teens, Yang stood in her partner’s embrace, the dark-haired girl resting her head on her shoulder, both girls wearing content smiles.

The older Huntsman smirked to himself, imagining him and his old teammates engaging in the same activities; it wasn’t much of a stretch, either. Practically everything was as it should have been.

Only this time, it was better.

With a soft grunt, he lifted himself off of the bench and turned to Maria. “Thanks,” he offered gently.

Maria’s eyes mimicked a furrow. “And where are you heading now?” she inquired shiftily.

Qrow chuckled, somewhat more loudly than he’d have liked. “Just for a dance with my niece.” He started towards the group of teens before stopping, turning on his heel, and flashing Maria one of his characteristic smolders. “Unless, that is, you’d like the first dance with a dusty old crow?”

The older woman laughed heartily as she slipped off the cold wooden bench. “Ha! I’ll dance you into oblivion! You’re talking to the four-time champion of the Remnant International Dance contest!”

She stepped up beside him as he pursed his lips thoughtfully, the two making their way towards Ruby. “Now there’s a story I’d like to hear.”


	6. Oscar

Oscar smiled at the ridiculous display before him: Nora, a boisterous grin spreading across her face, swung Ren at a speed and intensity that must have been nauseating for him while Ruby attempted the same though gentler, spinning Weiss away from her as the white-haired girl cried out, half-laughing and half-chastising.

It wasn’t often Oscar ever felt like he was being included. Most of the time, he was a tagalong to their misadventures, doing what he was told and contributing no more than perhaps an extra hand in a fight that really wasn’t necessarily needed. Other times, he was almost like a burden, a young farmhand with no real combat training that they always needed to keep an extra set of eyes on.

Of course, though nowhere near as often nowadays, he was also a source of direction and wisdom. Or, rather, Ozpin was. That was really why he had tagged along in the first place, wasn’t it? As much as being a huntsman had been his dream, as much as he knew he wanted to do the right thing, it had never been his choice to go on this adventure, and it had never been their choice for him to join them. He wasn’t stupid. He knew what he was.

But tonight, that was different. The incident at the gala was an unfortunate and uncomfortable circumstance, but it had proved to bring everyone together nonetheless, shown their resolve to not allow these kinds of things to keep them down for too long, demonstrated ingenuity and guidance on Ruby’s behalf that was quickly followed up by everyone else.

And most of all, it had brought him closer to the group.

Though, of course, he still stood on the outskirts of the dancing group, smiling as his foot tapped idly to the rhythm of the upbeat song. He didn’t mind standing apart from them; after all, they were teammates, friends for years now who had gone through so much. But knowing that, even like this, they were still open to him, willing to let him be a part of their group as more than just a necessary tagalong, he wasn’t bothered by it.

As the song finished and the next one in the playlist started loading up, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. Taken aback, Oscar pulled back slightly with a gasp.

“Sorry,” a soft voice offered; Jaune stood tall over him, an apologetic look on his face as he pulled away.

Oscar grinned nervously. Admittedly, despite having moved past their issues, Oscar was still a little wary around the Huntsman, especially when they were making plans or discussing their…more serious issues regarding their mission. Clearly, he had been making an effort to not appear so hostile to the boy, even helping him tie his tie earlier that evening, and he appreciated the care Jaune was putting into making him feel more welcome than he previously had. They’d all been through so much that being able to trust in each other once more was encouraging.

A jazzy brass opening pierced the air, followed by a rush of gold as Yang dragged her partner toward the rest of the group, excitedly declaring “I love this song!”

Jaune once more offered Oscar a smile. “So are you gonna dance or what?”

Oscar took a breath in—hold for one, two—and grimaced. “Thanks, but I think I’ll just stay here. Tapping my foot.”

A boisterous chuckle drew his attention towards Nora. “What, can little cute Oscar not dance or something?”

His heart raced at the words, and he looked up nervously at Jaune, who held an air of apprehension. “Actually, no. I can’t dance.”

Everything stopped. The group, the lively energy, even the air around him seemed to still at the revelation. He swallowed and shrugged; what did they expect of him? He was a fourteen year old farmhand whose closest experience with dancing was watching his aunt wobble joyfully around the kitchen as she cooked meals. It wasn’t as if growing up learning how to tend to crops and milk cows had also taught him the coordination to move in rhythm to music.

The stillness resumed with a hearty cry, once more from Nora as she practically shoved Ren aside to charge at him. Bracing himself for what was to be an inevitably powerful tackle, he was surprised when she skidded to a halt in front of him and grasped his shoulders, shaking him deliberately—perhaps he really should’ve been expecting that.

“What?!” she repeated. “How can you not dance?!”

Through the shaking, he was barely able to manage a defensive: “Well I never learned or anything!”

Jaune placed a hand on Nora and the shaking stopped, though her hands remained firm on his shoulder. “C’mon, Nora! Don’t you think this is the perfect chance to teach Oscar how to dance?”

Nora’s eyes went wide as a grin spread across her face. “Yes! This is perfect!” She pulled him closer—quite abruptly, too—and gestured towards Jaune. “ We’re the perfect teachers, too!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Weiss joked from further away.

The redhead scoffed. “What do you mean? Jaune grew up with seven sisters who all taught him how to dance,” she then pointed towards Ren, who seemed to be recovering from the previous song, “and Ren’s probably the best dancer out of all of us! Seriously, his moves are _flawless_.”

Oscar cocked an eyebrow; Ren, of all people? So far tonight he hadn’t seen it, only seeing him begrudgingly putting up with some of Nora’s antics and trying his best not to get in the way of Ruby’s clumsy dancing. He supposed it could make sense, given his impeccable timing and balance, but also seeing as how he was still leaning heavily against a lamp post, taking large gulps of air, he believed he’d have to see it.

Nora pulled back with a proud look on her face. “And me? Well, I was crowned the Queen of Dance two years ago.”

“Self-proclaimed,” Ren coughed.

Nora rolled her eyes. “It’s still a title, and I can use it to teach Oscar everything I know!”

Oscar paused apprehensively, unsure of whether he really wanted to learn from self-proclaimed dance queen Nora Valkyrie. Looking to Jaune for support, guidance, or maybe even a wary glance that could save him, he was met with a kind smile.

“Think of it as a team-building exercise!” he suggested.

“Wait,” Oscar began, somewhat stunned by the implication of Jaune’s statement, “you mean, like, as a group?”

Jaune nodded, his smile growing. “Well, I mean, you never really got the chance to do any of that with us before, so why not now?”

Nora leapt up and cheered, her joy not lost on anyone. “Oh, this will be perfect! I’ll dance with Oscar since he’s short, and you can dance with Ren since you’re tall! We’ll follow your lead!”

From behind her came a heavy sigh, followed by Ren joining them and taking Jaune’s hand in his own. “Show us how it’s done,” he admitted, a hint of playfulness just barely gracing his flat tone.

Quickly, Nora took Oscar’s hand in hers and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy froze, unsure of exactly what was expected of him next, but looking over at how Jaune and Ren were positioned, he quickly figured out what his next move was—and he froze again.

“Just put your hand on my waist, Oscar!” Nora urged playfully.

His hand hovered at the waist of her gown, heat rushing to his cheeks. Did he really have to put his hand there?

" _Just do it, Oscar,_ ” a wise voice advised, echoing in his mind. Oscar gasped, both taken aback by the sudden appearance of the man occupying his headspace and shocked by what he was telling him to do. “ _Trust me, this’ll be fine. You might even have fun._ ”

He sighed, and finally closed the distance between his hand and her waist, though his touch remained light and anxious.

Nora pulled him in closer and turned to Jaune and Ren to see what they were doing; following her lead, he saw the two men take broad steps left, right, forward, backward; he surely couldn’t keep up with that.

“It’s easier than you think,” his partner said with a kind smile. “Here, I’ll lead!” With that, Nora took a step toward him, her foot on a clear collision course with his.

“ _Well, now, you’re supposed to take a step back._ ”

Oscar did as he was told, bringing his parallel foot backwards nervously. As it landed with a crunch against the frozen grass, Nora brought her other foot forward and stood still in front of him as he brought his right foot to meet with his left.

“Good!” she commended, a sentiment that was echoed in his head. “Now, we go left!”

“ _So you’re going to sway left and step out with your left foot,_ ” Ozpin instructed as Oscar followed, holding more tightly to his partner’s hand as to not lose his balance. “ _Good, use your partner for support. Just like in combat, you two must rely on one-another._ ”

For the next while, Nora and Oscar stayed with simple steps moving in a formation that become easier to understand the more they repeated it. With every step, Oscar felt himself relaxing, easing into a steady rhythm with the music and his partner’s movements, though he found himself occasionally looking at Ren and Jaune for support, to which he was greeted by smiles both supportive and excited.

Soon, in conjunction with little bits of advice and reassurance from the spirit inhabiting his mind, he had eased into the dance, smiling along with Nora in excitement at the idea that he was doing it; he was actually dancing!

“See? Aren’t you glad you said yes to ‘team building’?” Nora chuckled.

Oscar’s voice caught in his throat; there it was again. That word, that insistence from those around him that he truly was one of them. It had been absent for so long, and as much as he really wished it had been true, he’d known back then he just wasn’t on the same level as them. He wasn’t a member of their group, of their team, of their family.

But, of course, tonight was different, and he couldn’t be anymore thankful for it.

“ _Dip!_ ”

“What?”

“ _Dip! She's going to dip!_ ”

Oscar felt his partner lean back, and instinctively he leaned forward, his arm supporting her back as she dipped low to the ground, clinging to his shoulder for support. He held her there, straining to keep her stable but somehow managing to also keep his own balance. Once more, a blush rose to his cheeks and he quickly pulled her back up, pulling his hands back.

“Wow!” Nora laughed, patting his shoulder. “You’re a natural, Oscar! Even Ren usually misses the dip!”

“Because you never time it right!” Ren shot back defensively, slowly rising from a dip in Jaune’s arms.

Oscar chuckled as Nora rejoined her own partner and threw himself at him, embracing him tightly. He walked towards the trio, still breathing heavily from the unexpectedly tiring dance, and looked to Jaune. “So how did I do?”

“You did great, Oscar!” he said as he held out his hand for a high-five.

“You think so?” the boy replied, meeting his hand with a sharp smack. “Thanks! Beginner’s luck, I guess.” Then, his voice growing smaller and more delicate. “And thanks for including me.”

Jaune nodded warmly. “Anything for a teammate.”

“ _Well, you two are getting along much more swimmingly now,_ ” Ozpin noted. Oscar paused, skepticism permeating in his mind: why would Ozpin remain silent all night through drama and tension only to make an appearance now for something so trivial?

As if able to read his thoughts—of course he could!—Ozpin chuckled. “ _Oscar, as much as I respect your autonomy and privacy, did you honestly expect me, a lover and connoisseur of the fine art of dance, to abandon you in your time of need and throw you to the Beowolves?_ ”

The boy cocked a brow, but sighed, knowing full-well there was never an argument to be had with Ozpin. Not anymore, at least. He’d been showing up less and less, allowing Oscar to be in control of his own actions and decisions and only appearing to guide him in things he would have no other way of figuring out, like piloting a damaged airship or, apparently, not messing up in a waltz. While oftentimes he appreciated having his own life to lead, he did also appreciate those moments, few and far between, of supervision, of guidance without control.

“ _Though, for your next dance, it will be a trial by fire,_ ” he informed the boy, who could hardly react as Ruby reached from him, excitedly announcing “my turn!”


	7. Jaune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is likely going to be the second last chapter of this fic, but worry not! Once I wrap this one up I'll be working on some more content, including a particular AU I've been snoked about for weeks now! Until then, though, enjoy!

The night air hardly seemed chilled anymore. They had been dancing already for some time, each taking turns trying to show each-other up (though Ren absolutely _killed it_ on the ‘dance floor’ a few times despite his fatigue). Jackets were being removed and slung over shoulders, sleeves were rolled up…

Or perhaps the steam from the cocoa was what was really keeping Jaune warm.

Really, it was Ruby who’d brought up the idea of picking up something to eat, maybe something warm to drink, too, but the job fell on Jaune when her favourite song came up next in the playlist and no one could stop her from challenging an exhausted Ren to a rematch; not even Weiss was able to pull her away with her scolding tone betrayed by the promise of sweets, which is why she’d offered to accompany him.

This worked out for the best: Weiss already knew what was open late, what was local, what was affordable but still appetizing, and what businesses didn’t discriminate against Faunus (she’d been very careful about that upon re-entering the city). A ten-minute walk and several Lien later, they were on their way back with several trays of hot chocolate and some bags of buns, brownies, doughnuts, and whatever other sweet things Ruby would probably begrudge sharing.

Inhaling a wisp of chocolate-smelling steam from the cups in front of him, Jaune sighed in anticipation; the aroma alone was enough to make him drool. Even Weiss seemed surprisingly excited, her steps hurried but not frantic as a smirk played on her lips. Her fingers curled around the handles of several bags hovering just above the snow, lightly swinging forward and back, maybe to ease the weight? It’s what he’d do.

“You sure are going all-out here, Weiss,” he quipped. “Who you trying to impress?”

Weiss rolled her eyes, a trademark that he’d grown fond of. “Oh, _ha-ha_! Am I not allowed to indulge my friends?”

Jaune let out an easy smile; not something he could usually pull off around Weiss, but natural nonetheless. “It’s good that you are. Keep on making tonight special, you know?” He didn’t have to say the words. He knew Weiss understood the implications, and knew his message had gotten across when her pace slowed and her head dipped.

“It’s not easy being here, Jaune,” she said, both shame and defiance playing in her tone. “But I have friends here with me, and I know they’re not letting anything happen to me. To any of us.”

Jaune just barely caught her voice catching on that last phrase, and his fingers tightened around the drink trays. He hadn’t been perfect, that was for sure, as much as he’d tried to look out for his friends, but he didn’t need to be perfect. All he needed to do was be there for his friends.

“You’re right, Weiss. None of us are letting anything happen.” With a sad nod of his head, he added: “Not after everything we’ve already had to deal with. You've done so much for everyone already, and we would do the same for you. I can promise that.”

Weiss was quiet for a moment; in the time he’d gotten to know her better, he’d been able to distinguish some of her attitudes. He knew when she was upset and when it was probably best to avoid her lest someone endure her wrath. He knew when she was solemn, in need of support and validation to pull her out of a more negative mindset. And, of course, he knew when she was reminiscing, pondering different times and things she considered vocalizing. It was this silence that Weiss gave in the moment.

“Jaune,” she began, that expression on her face unwavering, “I still haven’t thanked you.”

“For…?” he replied, taken aback both by the statement and its abruptness.

Icy blue eyes met with his, and she sighed. “I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t healed me at Haven. And..I don’t really like to ever think about it. How close I came. Having to leave my family behind. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t say it.”

He paused, not knowing how to respond. She was thanking him? For something that happened so long ago?

Jaune had known even back then that it was right to do what he did; even without knowing what his semblance was, he understood how much he needed to help his friends. To protect them. He’d known even when Weiss was bleeding on the wooden floor of the academy and he cried desperately as her aura faded from her body how much he wanted to be there for her, to do anything, knowing that the others would feel the same way.

For years, his mind had stewed with vengeance and bloodlust, with misery and spite, but when the universe threatened those he cared about with death yet again, vengeance was the last thing on his mind. To him, in that moment, there was only Weiss who mattered, her life force fading and her blood seeping from her wound.

Jaune Arc understood loss, but he understood wanting to prevent it even more. And if it hadn’t made itself clear to him before, in this moment he understood just how important it was to those he cared about.

A breeze traveled through the cold air, blowing the steam of the drinks into his face again and causing him to flinch. He squinted as the air blew into his eyes, suddenly making him turn from Weiss’ glare; to his surprise, the white-haired woman giggled, though the sound was still fairly precise and proper. He rolled his eyes, sneered teasingly, and adjusted the tray before making his way forward again.

“You’re right, Weiss,” he stated, and the foundation for the statement was firm in his voice, in his heart. He thought back to bronze dusted by snow and the promise he’d made his friends, and he would never let that go. “We’re not letting anything happen to anyone.”

“Thank you,” she offered again, moving closer to Jaune. Then, in a smaller voice: “I miss her, too, you know.”

Jaune stopped. His grip on the drinks loosened slightly, though not enough for them to fall from his grasp. He stammered, trying to find the proper response, trying to figure out if it was obvious enough with the tears verging in the corners of his eyes.

Weiss turned to him, her own blue eyes glassy from her own unshed tears. “I miss her, and I know how it feels. Not getting to tell her what you wish you could’ve...” A light chuckle escapes her mouth in a puff of frost. “We were so stupid back then, weren’t we?”

Was it the cocoa warming his cheeks? He stammered to find the words floating around his mouth, until finally settling on his intuition. Jaune rolled his eyes. “You’re not talking about all that stuff with Neptune back at Beacon are you?”

“Please don’t remind me of that." Weiss huffed as her pace sped up, her heels sinking into the soft, thin layer of snow beneath her. “I like to think I'm smarter nowadays. Or, maybe I've learned more about myself." She stopped, turning to Jaune with a pout he had no doubt was masking a smirk. "I’d rather not have to think about crushing on _Neptune_. It’s so embarrassing!"

"Geez, that’s what you thought was embarrassing?” Jaune retorted playfully, though his voice cracked with longing, nostalgia, whatever he would call wanting to go back to simpler days. “Do I need to remind you of my dumb guitar bit?”

She broke out into laughter again, a musical sound that rang through the still night, each small trill fluttering like snowflakes in the light wind. “Thank the gods you left that thing behind.”

Jaune smirked bashfully as they continued, intermittent giggles from Weiss accompanying the comfortable silence, and Jaune found at least a bit of comfort in the company walking back with him to the party, drinks and snacks in hand and the memories of a past life warming their cheeks.


	8. Ruby

Hot chocolate and donuts: _exactly_ the boost Ruby needed to be able to keep her party energy up!

As soon as Weiss and Jaune returned to the park, wistful expressions ghosting their features, Ruby leapt forward, nearly tripping on her gown (and she thanked Yang silently that she’d been allowed to wear flats instead of those dumb lady stilts Weiss had tried pushing on her) as she raced to greet them and the snacks they brought.

“Oh, Weiss!” Ruby exclaimed as she halted in front of her partner, the sweet smell of baked goods already finding its way into her nose. “You’re the _best_!”

“I know,” Weiss replied, accepting the compliment with a curt nod masking the smirk creeping onto her face.

Ruby giggled excitedly as she reached for the bags in her hand, only to be quickly halted by Weiss’ sharp glare. She withdrew her hands sheepishly and backed away as Weiss and Jaune set the bounty of snacks and drinks aside. 

The sudden presence of food seemed to prompt everyone to converge, and it wasn’t long before everyone was handing out hot chocolate and various snacks between them, with Ren sternly rationing Nora’s share as, off to the side, she groaned in frustration. 

Yang reached for one of the trays and almost immediately her eyes settled on something she quickly selected; already, Ruby could tell she was about to say something witty to someone, and she held in her impending laughter.

“I think you should have this, Blake!” Yang said cheekily as she offered Blake the glazed donut in her hand. “It’s a honey cruller!”

Blake seemed to understand Yang’s intentions, too, but ceded with a sigh. “Why’s that?”

“Because it’s a honey cruller for my honey!” The joke, as objectively horrible as it was, was followed by laughter from both Yang and Ruby, whose musical laughs echoed through the park.

Blake rolled her eyes as a soft chuckle barely passed her lips, but took the donut nonetheless. “I guess pet names is going to be a discussion we should have soon, then?”

“Please don’t have it while we’re within earshot,” Weiss retorted, her drink resting just under her chin. “If I have to sit through an entire conversation where Yang just lists off different puns—”

She was immediately cut off by Nora, who leapt to her feet with a wild and excited expression. “Oh! I think ‘My Queen’ _really_ has some potential!”

“Nora, they’re not going to use ‘My Queen,” Ren butted in as he set his hand upon her shoulder, gently sitting her back down. “Not when it’s already taken.”

Yang scoffed. “Wait, _that’s_ your pet name?”

“Wait, you two are dating?” Oscar chimed in, seemingly genuine in his discovery. His eyes fell to Ren and Nora, then to Blake and Yang, then to Weiss and Jaune. “Wow, there’s a lot of couples here.”

Weiss and Jaune were quick to raise their hands sheepishly, their frantic voices mixing with each others’ while the others laughed.

“Yeah, sorry Jaune, but you’re definitely not Weiss’ type!” Yang snorted between laughs.

Jaune placed his hands firmly on his hips, his defenses suddenly switching from Oscar to Yang. “Oh, and what’s that supposed to mean?”

Yang shrugged with mock innocence. “Nothing, nothing…” Then, with a cough far too dramatic to be sincere: “ _Lesbian_!”

Weiss’ expression straightened as much as it could as her focus darted to Yang, contemplating her words for a moment with pursed lips. “Well, you’re right, but you don’t have to be so cheeky about it.”

Blake looked up at Yang in confusion. “Is there…something I missed?”

“Yeah,” Yang confirmed with a gentle smile and a quick peck to Blake’s temple. “I’ll fill you in later, babe.”

Immediately, Nora was back on her feet and pointing. “’Babe’!” she shouted to them, momentarily drawing Ren’s attention. “That’s perfect! It’s adorable!”

Ruby smiled as she thumbed through her Scroll to bring up the camera app. Despite how that night had started, Ruby was for sure delighted with how it turned out. The park was perfect, and she was so glad her and Weiss had found it earlier. The food was amazing. Everyone had danced until they couldn’t dance anymore—which, for Ruby herself, was apparently longer than everyone else—and even when they stopped dancing, they kept talking and laughing and sharing these perfect moments.

These perfect memories.

And Ruby would be remembering this one for sure.

As the app opened on her Scroll, Ruby waved to her friends. “Hey, guys! I’m gonna grab a picture! Everyone do something dumb!”

Right away, Nora grabbed Ren by the waist and held him in a practiced dip, while Yang deftly scooped Blake into her arms, lifting her high as Blake laughed; at the same time, Jaune placed his drink on top of Weiss’ head with a proud grin, which was met with a begrudging look from Weiss as she crossed her arms.

Ruby turned behind her as Oscar frantically tried to find a goofy pose to place himself in. Qrow and Maria remained seated on the bench, where they’d been for most of the night except for the one dance her uncle had shared with her.

As her eyes met his, he chortled faintly. “You kids take your photo.”

“Uncle Qrow!” Ruby protested. “Come on, it’ll be more fun with you in it!” She turned to Maria and quickly added: “You too, Miss Calavera!”

Qrow scoffed—it wasn’t malicious in any way, but even Ruby understood that sometimes her uncle preferred to let them all have their own fun. Maria, however, didn’t waste any time slipping off the bench and waddling down the path towards the group, quickly taking Oscar into a headlock that was clearly more powerful than it had any right to be, prompting a surprise yelp from the young boy. 

Ruby turned around and readied the camera for a selfie, putting up a peace sign that just barely obscured Weiss’ face for a brief second until she adjusted it. 

“Ready, fam?” she called behind her.

“Just take the photo, Ruby!” Weiss called back, her cheeks growing redder with each passing second.

“Alright!” She put on her best, most obnoxious smile as she prepared to take the photo, ensuring everyone was in frame and almost completely missing the black bird flying into frame as she pressed the center button; she was, however, made quickly aware of her uncle’s presence in the photo—or at least his face, winking into the camera, as she yelped in surprise at his sudden appearance.

She lowered her Scroll and steadied her breathing as Qrow skidded to a halt in the snow, laughing heartily (along with Yang and Nora). 

Ruby turned to Qrow with a half frustrated, half endeared expression. “Well, hopefully you’re in the photo, at least,” she joked, to which Qrow smiled.

“Let’s see it, then.”

Ruby motioned for her friends to join her as she pulled up the photo which, despite some shakiness from her surprise at Qrow’s sudden appearance, managed to get everyone perfectly in the frame.

As the rest of the group began pointing out funny things each other were doing, goofy expressions they all showed off, and just how red Weiss’ face was, Ruby let out another easy smile at the photo on her screen. 

Laughter. 

Fun. 

Friendship. 

Love. 

Ruby wasn’t exactly a stranger to any of these, but she’d surely been seeing them in a new light recently. She saw how her friends made her stronger, and how her memories of them even powered her. These memories for her would keep not only her but everyone she loved going, doing what they needed even in the darkest of times: a beacon of argent in a dark world.

She turned back to her friends, each under the glow of silver moonlight with pink in their cheeks and smiles on their lips, and her heart beat strong but gentle in her chest. 

“So,” Oscar piped in from the group, “are we going to keep dancing? I wanna know if I have to keep wearing these shoes—”

“If I recall, wasn’t it my turn to dance with Oscar?” Ren mentioned, to which Jaune and Nora nodded.

Oscar took a step back, eyeing up the tall Huntsman in front of him in confusion. "Wait, since when was that a thing?"

Yang cheered. “I’ll get the music back on!”

"Perfect!" Maria chirped as she turned to Qrow. "I still have to show you my moves!"

"Oh, you're _on_ , old-timer!"

Ruby jumped forward excitedly, grabbing Weiss by the wrist with a smirk. “We’ve still got a few more dances to go, Weiss! Hope you’re not tired!”

“Of you? Never.” Though her words were emphasized by a dramatic eyeroll, Ruby couldn’t help but snicker at the tease.

The music filled the air again, crisp synthetic beats accompanied by wild rhythms and flurries of notes, and Ruby couldn’t help but be delighted by the thought of how many more memories she’d get to create tonight as the party resumed.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is it, everyone! The last chapter of the fic that got me back into writing fanfiction! Thank you all so much for reading this and supporting it (even with that long-ass hiatus between now and March), it was an absolute pleasure reading all of your comments and writing for you! If you haven't already, be sure to check out some of my other fics, which I'll be working on more now that this is out of the way! Also, find me on Tumblr/Twitter under PatchoDraws and drop me a hello! I usually update on those platforms pretty frequently.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! I'll see you in the next story!


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